Richard H. Schwartz: Commemorating the redemption of our ancestors from slavery by ending slavery to harmful eating habits

April 10, 2011

An increasing number of Jews are turning to vegetarianism and they are finding ways to celebrate vegetarian Passovers consistent with Jewish teachings. Contrary to a common perception, Jews are not required to eat meat at the Passover seder or any other time. According to the Talmud (Pesachim 109a), since the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, Jews need not eat meat to celebrate Jewish festivals.

Jewish vegetarians see vegetarian values reinforced by several Passover themes:

1. At the seder, Jews say, "Let all who are hungry come and eat". This seems inconsistent with the consumption of animal-centered diets which involves the feeding of 70% of the grain grown in the United States to animals destined for slaughter, while 20 million of the world's people die of hunger and its effects annually. Vegetarian diets require far less land, water, gasoline, pesticides, fertilizer, and other resources, and thus enable the better sharing of God's abundant resources, which can help reduce global hunger and poverty.

2. Passover is the holiday of springtime, a time of nature's renewal.
It also commemorates God's supremacy over the forces of nature. In contrast, modern intensive livestock agriculture and animal-centered diets have many negative effects on the environment, including air and water pollution, soil erosion and depletion, the destruction of tropical rain forests and other habitats, and contributions to global warming.

3. The main Passover theme is freedom. While relating the story of our ancestors' slavery in Egypt and their redemption through God's power and beneficence, many Jewish vegetarians also consider the "slavery" of animals on modern "factory farms". Contrary to Jewish teachings of compassion, animals are raised for food today under very cruel conditions.

Source: The Schwartz Collection on Judaism, Vegetarianism, and Animal Rights
Author: Richard H. Schwartz

Link: Connecting the Profound: Jewish Passover and the Environment - Judaism commands the preservation of the environment by prohibiting its wasteful utilization.
Link: New org to educate haredi community on animal rights
Link: Passover and Vegetarianism
Link: Rae Sikora Interviews Richard Schwartz: "Why People Should be Vegetarians"
Link: World religions launch a global green initiative